Efficacy and Safety of Intravenous Sodium Valproate in Convulsive Status Epilepticus in Children in Shahid Sadoughi Hospital

Status epilepticus (SE) is the most common pediatric neurologic emergency with high mortality and morbidity. There is no consensus on the drug of choice in the treatment of children. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of intravenous sodium valproate as a third-line drug in the treatment of generalized convulsive SE of children. Materials & Methods In a retrospective study, medical records of those children who were admitted to Shahid Sadoughi Hospital of Yazd due to refractory generalized convulsive SE and were treated by intravenous sodium valproate as a third-line drug from 2009 to 2011 were evaluated. Results Six girls and five boys with a mean age of 5.12 ± 1.2 years (range: 3 - 9.6 years) were evaluated. Intravenous valproate was effective for cessation of seizures in seven patients (63.6%). The mean dose of valproate for stopping seizures was 27.1 ± 1.4 mg/ kg/day. Children whose seizures were controlled by sodium valproate were older than non - responsive children (mean ± SD: 4.8 ± 1.2 years vs. 3.1 ± 0.43 years, p = 0.03) and they also had shorter ICU stay days (mean ± SD: 2.6 ± 1.4 days vs. 5.6 ± 2.8 days, p= 0.01). Two children had mild and transient nausea and vomiting. None of them had cardiopulmonary or severe paraclinical side effects. Conclusion Intravenous sodium valproate may be used as an effective and safe third-line antiepileptic drug in the treatment of pediatric generalized convulsive status epilepticus.